1590s, "passing rapidly from one subject to another," from French discursif, from Medieval Latin discursivus, from Latin discursus "a running about," in Late Latin "conversation," in Medieval Latin "reasoning" (see discourse (n.)). As "relating to the understanding" (often opposed to intuitive), from c. 1600. Related: Discursively.
Entries linking to discursive
discourse n.
late 14c., "process of understanding, reasoning, thought," from French discours, from Latin discursus "a running about," in Late Latin "conversation," in Medieval Latin "reasoning," noun use of past participle of discurrere "to run about, run to and fro, hasten," in Late Latin "to go over a subject, speak at length of, discourse of," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + currere "to run" (from PIE root *kers- "to run").
Meaning "a running over a subject in speech, communication of thought in words" is from 1550s; sense of "discussion or treatment of a subject in formal speech or writing," is from 1580s.
